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Domingo: ODI series a chance to 'tick boxes'

South Africa coach Russell Domingo is keen to use their one-day international series with Australia as a key World Cup stepping stone.

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Written ByLuke Sheehan

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The Proteas take on the World Cup co-hosts in five one-dayers,
two in Perth and one each in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, as
they prepare to try and break their infamous drought in the
illustrious 50-over tournament.

South Africa have never made a World Cup final, let alone won
the event, with semi-final appearances in 1992, '99 and '07 their
best efforts - the latter two losses to the Australians.

Domingo said he was keen to test the Proteas against a proven
one-day side, after avoiding defeat in their recent ODI series
against New Zealand 2-0.

"I suppose it's always important to try and test yourself
against one of the best sides in the world and see where we are as
a cricketing team," Domingo said, ahead of the series opener in
Perth on Friday.

"They've just come off a good series win in the one-dayers
against Pakistan so we know that they are a dangerous one-day
side.

"But look we really want to focus on our performances and our
games, and the result is obviously important but we want to make
sure we finalise our structure and our patterns of play for when we
get to the World Cup."

Domingo said the series gives South Africa a chance to iron out
kinks in their set-up, most noticeably their struggles to bowl out
sides in ODIs lately - the Black Caps forging 10th-wicket
partnerships worth 74 and 76 runs in October.

"Just [want] to continuously tick all the boxes that we still
have questions with," Domingo said.

"I suppose also just want to just finalise a pattern of play
going under these conditions and also to make sure we get used to
the conditions that we are going to be faced with."

Domingo said the series will see batsman Farhaan Behardien, with
11 ODIs to his name, and paceman Marchant de Lange - with seven
wickets in his two ODIs - more chances to perform.

"Farhaan's been outstanding in the domestic one-day competition
in South Africa and thoroughly deserves his call up," Domingo
said.

"And Marchant's got a lot of x-factor, he bowls the ball mid
140s to low 150s so that's always an exciting prospect."